1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lock for a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related State of the Art
A lock for a motor vehicle comprises a locking mechanism with a rotatably mounted rotary catch for receiving a locking bolt also referred to as a striker. The locking mechanism moreover comprises a pawl with which the rotary catch can be engaged for retaining the locking bolt.
The rotary catch of a motor vehicle lock usually comprises a fork-shaped inlet slot (also referred to as inlet opening) which is formed by the load arm and the rotary catching arm and which the locking bolt (also known as a striker) of a vehicle door or hatch, e.g. a hood or a trunk lid, enters when the door or hatch is closed. The locking bolt or striker then turns the rotary catch from an opened position in the direction of the closed position until the pawl engages the rotary catch. This position is referred to as the catching position. The locking bolt then cannot leave the inlet slot of the rotary catch.
Furthermore, a lock can comprise a blocking lever capable of blocking the pawl in its catching position. The blocking lever has to be pivoted or turned out of its blocking position in order for the pawl to be able to leave its catching position for opening the locking mechanism.
There are locks as known from US 2010 052 336 A1 in which the rotary catch is capable of introducing an opening moment into the pawl if the latter is in its catching position. Such a lock requires a blocking lever in order to be able to engage the locking mechanism. Such locks can be opened with little effort.
There are motor vehicle locks with two catching positions, i.e. a preliminary catching position and a main catching position. The preliminary catching position serves for rotary catching the respective door or hatch when the latter does not reach the main catching position during the closing process. If, starting from the preliminary catching position, the rotary catch is turned further correspondingly, it will finally reach the main catching position.
As a matter of principle, a lock comprises a releasing lever which is actuated in order to open or disengage a locking mechanism. Such a releasing lever is typically connected to a handle of a door or hatch. If the handle is actuated, the releasing lever is actuated, or pivoted, in order to disengage the locking mechanism and thus open the lock.
In the event of a crash, the handle may be actuated inadvertently, which would lead to the locking mechanism being opened. It should be ensured that such a lock does not open inadvertently in such a case.
In order to ensure that a lock does not open inadvertently in the event of a crash, a lock with a locking mechanism is provided according to document EP 1518983A2, which comprises at least one actuating lever for releasing or opening the locking mechanism, i.e. a releasing lever. The lock moreover comprises a blocking lever which blocks the actuating lever during predetermined vehicle accelerations.
In the event of a crash, particularly large accelerations occur, compared with a usual opening process. If the actuating lever blocks only at large vehicle accelerations, such as occur in the event of a crash, an unintentional opening of the locking mechanism in the case of a crash can be prevented. In the case of a usual actuation of the door handle, the actuating lever is not blocked for lack of a great acceleration in order to then enable the lock to be opened.